Noida, Jan 23 (IANS) Amit held his nerve under intense pressure in the decisive final contest to steer Maharashtra Kesari to a well-earned 5–4 victory over Haryana Thunders, handing the previously unbeaten side their first defeat of the season in Match 10 of the Pro Wrestling League 2026 on Friday night, here at Noida Indoor Stadium.

With the tie locked at 4–4, Amit produced a composed performance win in the 86kg men’s category to secure the win by a single point, lifting Maharashtra Kesari to the top of the standings with six points from four matches. Haryana Thunders were pushed all the way in a high-quality encounter that swung repeatedly in momentum. Tevanyan Vazgen from Maharashtra Kesari was named Player of the Match, while Kajal Dhochhak earned Fighter of the Match honours for keeping Haryana alive deep into the contest.

Haryana Thunders made a blistering start through their captain, Yui Susaki, in the opening 53kg women’s category. The former Olympic champion wasted no time asserting control, executing back-to-back takedowns and smooth exposure sequences before forcing a fall inside just 85 seconds to give Haryana a 1–0 lead. The advantage doubled in the 74kg men’s contest as Parvinder delivered a powerful Power Minute, landing a takedown-and-turn sequence to pull away late and secure a convincing 14–8 win.

Maharashtra Kesari opened their account in the heavyweight category through captain Robert Baran. In a tactical 125kg contest, Baran stayed patient, capitalised on passivity calls, and timed his attacks well in the latter stages to edge Anirudh Gulia 7–3. Momentum shifted further in Maharashtra’s favour in the 62kg women’s tie, where Dudova Bilyana Zhivkova produced a composed and disciplined display. Neutralising Iryna Koliadenko early, she turned the contest decisively in the second period with well-timed takedowns to level the tie.

Maharashtra took the lead at the halfway stage through Manisha Bhanvala in the 57kg women’s category. In a tightly contested tactical battle, Bhanvala stepped up her aggression in the second period, securing a crucial takedown and then holding her nerve in the Power Minute to edge Neha Sangwan 7–6 and move Maharashtra ahead 3–2.

The gap widened in the 65kg men’s tie as Tevanyan Vazgen delivered a match-defining performance against Tumur Ochir Tulga. After a cautious opening, Vazgen seized control in the second period, unleashing an eight-point takedown-and-turn sequence in the Power Minute before closing out a commanding 10–4 win to put Maharashtra 4–2 ahead.

Haryana responded strongly in the 57kg men’s tie through Ankush Chandram, who dictated the tempo against Sumit Malik. Chandram built early momentum with a takedown and exposure, managed Malik’s response in the second period, and extended his lead during the Power Minute to claim an 11–5 victory and keep Haryana firmly in the contest.

The tie was dramatically levelled in the 76kg women’s bout as Kajal Dhochhak produced a dominant performance against Harshita Mor. Kajal applied relentless pressure from the outset and capitalised decisively in the Power Minute with a takedown-and-turn combination before transitioning into a fall, bringing the team score to 4–4 and setting up a winner-takes-all finale.

In the decisive 86kg men’s bout, Amit delivered when it mattered most. After Ashirov Ashraf opened the scoring through passivity, Amit responded with a powerful takedown-and-turn sequence in the first period to establish a crucial cushion. Ashirov mounted a late push in the second period with a push-out and passivity points, but Amit’s early advantage proved decisive as he managed the closing phase intelligently to seal the contest 6-5 and clinch the match for Maharashtra Kesari.

–IANS

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